WASTING NO TIME SANTIAGO'S FIRST FOCUS ON CITY DRUGS

Incoming police director Joseph Santiago yesterday promised an all-out war
on drug dealers and buyers during his first day on the job. "Drugs have the
biggest impact on our neighborhoods and that's where our focus will be,"
said Santiago.

"We're going to do our job so well, make so many arrests, that we create a
problem for the rest of the judicial system," he promised.

Santiago delivered an impromptu, tough-talking 45-minute interview that
included his no-nonsense policy regarding drugs.

The new director stated someone has to go after the drug dealers in Colombia.

"But that's not the Trenton Police Department's job. We're going to focus
on the street corner sales," vowed Santiago.

"Drugs create violence, fuels violence. Drugs drive the crime rate up
because often they are behind the robberies, thefts and other incidents,"
he explained.

Santiago is given credit for changing the fate of Newark, the nation's 20th
largest city.

In a six-year role as that city's top cop, Santiago's initiatives helped to
reduce crime more than 50 percent, according to Uniform Crime Report
statistics.

The assault on crime came during a time that Newark was experiencing a
business revitalization, much like Trenton faces now.

"That's why I got him," said Mayor Doug Palmer.

"Getting control of the crime issue is the most important thing we face.
It' s crucial to the continued growth of the city," he added.

Santiago stated he will rely heavily on a Comstat system, a computerized
system that determines where police should be positioned according to
updated information on crime statistics.

Trenton puts nearly 300 officers on the streets. Santiago said that should
be a sufficient number of cops.

"But it's not always about numbers. It's what you do with what you've got,"
he explained.

Santiago revitalized an inferior Newark police department with his own style.

"When I took over in Newark we had lots of corruption," he said.

"Some called what I did 'smashmouth' and in some cases it was ugly. But I
had to do what I needed to do," he added.

Santiago cleaned house, weeding out nearly 100 police officers that were
either dead wood, corrupt or unmanageable.

The police director stated he did not see any major problems like
corruption in the city's force.

He spent several hours with his assistant director Abe Hemsey who drove
Santiago to some key crime spots in the city.

Santiago had a close-up look at Walnut Avenue where police areexpected to
wage a major fight against drug lords.

Drug cleanups are expected to take place on Passaic Street and along the
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Santiago met numerous officers at Trenton police headquarters then spend an
hour with C-PAC leaders.

"I like the fact that the city has people who are concerned about their
neighborhoods and who come and talk to police," said Santiago.

He voiced support for community policing and promised that officers will be
held accountable for their actions.

Santiago described himself as a "cop's cop."

"I love cops but that doesn't mean that improper behavior will be allowed
here," he said.

"I may have gone to Harvard but I'm a street kid from Newark," Santiago
said, referring to his studies at JFK School of Government at Harvard
University.

"And I'm proud to have been a police officer for more than 30 years of my
life."

Referring to his resignation last year after serving just seven months
Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, Santiago admitted it was a
difficult period in his life.

"I won't say it didn't hurt," he said.

"I spent 33 years building a record as a tough, honest guy. I'm not perfect
and definitely made my share of mistakes. I'm thankful Mayor Palmer gave me
this opportunity."

Santiago said he learned who his friends were during his struggles with the
New Jersey State Police.